A new international study has found that a diabetes pill called oral semaglutide can help protect the heart.
This medication, already used to manage type 2 diabetes, was shown to lower the chances of serious heart problems like heart attacks and strokes.
These results are important because they give doctors and patients a new, easier way to reduce major health risks linked to diabetes.
The study is called the SOUL trial and was led by Dr. John Buse and Dr. Matthew Cavender from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. They focused on people with type 2 diabetes who also had heart disease or kidney disease. These people are known to be at high risk of deadly heart problems.
Semaglutide belongs to a group of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists. These drugs act like a natural hormone in the body to help control blood sugar levels.
Until now, semaglutide was mostly given as an injection, and it was already known to be good for heart health. This new trial is one of the first to show that taking semaglutide as a pill can bring similar heart benefits.
The trial included 9,650 people. Half of them took oral semaglutide, while the other half took a fake pill (called a placebo). Everyone continued their regular diabetes and heart treatments. The semaglutide group took 14 mg once each day.
Over time, the researchers watched to see how many people had serious heart problems, including heart attacks, strokes, or death caused by heart disease. The results were very promising.
The people who took oral semaglutide had a 14% lower risk of these major heart problems compared to those who took the placebo. The biggest benefit was seen in preventing nonfatal heart attacks.
This is good news because heart disease is the top cause of death in people with type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar can damage blood vessels, and that raises the chances of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart attacks, and strokes. Medications like semaglutide help with blood sugar and now clearly show they can protect the heart too.
Dr. Buse said that this is a big step forward. “Heart attacks and strokes are among the most common and devastating complications of diabetes… Having an oral option to deliver this highly effective therapy is a big advance,” he explained.
Until now, people needed injections to get these heart benefits. Now, the same type of protection might be possible with a pill. That could make it easier for patients to take their medicine every day and stick with their treatment plans.
This study also adds to the growing interest in GLP-1 drugs. These medications are also being studied for helping with weight loss and reducing cravings for things like alcohol. However, the researchers say more work is needed to find out whether the pill or injection works better over time.
In short, oral semaglutide gives people with diabetes a new and simpler way to protect their hearts. It could help lower the chances of heart attacks and strokes, which are among the most dangerous outcomes of type 2 diabetes.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about Why diabetes drug metformin can help increase longevity and findings of This drug could manage type 2 diabetes for a long time.
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